Fish habitat rehabilitation and conservation in the Great Lakes: Moving from opportunism to scientifically defensible management

The Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) is an evolving instrument for ecosystem-based management. Its initial emphasis in 1972 was on controlling phosphorus inputs. In 1978, the GLWQA focused on control an d management of persistent toxic substances and the use of an ecosystem app roach in management and research. The 1987 Protocol to the GLWQA adopted ne w annexes that focused on sources and pathways of persistent toxic substanc es and on development and implementation of comprehensive management plans to restore beneficial uses, including fish and wildlife habitat. Canada and the United States have achieved a number of Great Lakes successes. Example s of successes include: reversing cultural eutrophication in the lower Grea t Lakes and maintaining the oligotrophic-mesotrophic state of the upper Gre at Lakes as a result of phosphorus control programs, and achieving US$2-4 b illion in economic return to the Great Lakes region annually as a result of fish stocking, restrictions on harvests, and sea lamprey control. As such successes have been achieved and cooperative management efforts have evolve d to address ecosystem integrity and sustainability, the relative importanc e of habitat as a Great Lakes issue has increased. Current major challenges to further ecosystem-based management of habitat include: ensuring that al l levels of government adopt strong habitat conservation and rehabilitation policy statements; recruiting and retaining trained habitat personnel to e nsure that local and regional actions are consistent with such policies; su staining creative ecosystem-based processes in light of government cutbacks ; addressing the need for fish habitat assessment and analysis via effectiv e institutional arrangements; agreeing on a core set of indicators and allo cating required resources to sustain monitoring programs; and exchanging in formation about successful experiences with modifying habitat to support fi sh stocks and communicating broadly both ecological and economic benefits.